In the art of working on underground pipes, it has been conventional for workers to dig a hole to access the pipe beneath ground, with the hole being of sufficient size that workers can get down into the hole, to work on the underground pipe. Often the underground pipe is on the order of 4 feet below the ground surface, such that the hole must first be excavated, and such excavation must be sufficient in amount to allow one or more workers to enter the hole and have sufficient room to work on the underground pipe.
Depending upon the depth of the pipe beneath the ground surface, the usual process requires excavation of large amounts of earth, causing considerable disruption to the surrounding landscape.
The present invention is directed to using a tool assembly for working on underground pipes through a hole at the ground surface that is small relative to the depth within the hole of the pipe being worked upon.
The tool assembly uses an elongate handle member adapted to be actuated from above ground at its upper end, and, at the lower end of the elongate handle member, there is a universal coupling. The coupling is connectable and disconnectable to the lower end of the handle member and is also connectable and disconnectable to adapters for various specific tools, preferably with a quick connect/disconnect feature.
The handle member is preferably hollow, for delivery of compressed air, for pneumatically driving tools that are down in the hole, from above ground.